Apparatus, method and program for receiving printing orders

ABSTRACT

A printing order reception apparatus includes display means for carrying out various kinds of display, input means for carrying out various kinds of input, and a plurality of types of slots for inserting therein various types of media each storing an image and equipment including a medium storing an image. In the case where a medium or equipment is inserted into a specific one of the plurality of types of slots, processing for printing the image stored in the medium or the medium included in the equipment is switched between execution of printing processing according to a predetermined printing condition and execution of printing processing according to a printing condition different from the predetermined printing condition. Then, processing for printing the image is carried out according to the switched printing condition.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a printing order reception apparatusinstalled in a DPE store or the like for receiving a print orderregarding an image stored in a recording medium or equipment such as adigital camera including a recording medium. The present invention alsorelates to a printing order reception method therefor and a program forcausing a computer to execute the printing order reception method.

BACKGROUND ART

In the case where an image photographed by a digital camera is printedfrom a home printer installed at a user's home, the image is generallyinput to a personal computer and printed by use of a printer driver ofthe personal computer. In some cases, a digital camera is connecteddirectly to a printer for printing without involving a personalcomputer. In other cases, an image photographed by a digital camera isrecorded in a recording medium such as a memory card, and a printerprints the image by reading the image stored in the recording medium.

A printer has been proposed for printing an image photographed by adigital camera by use of a home printer (see Japanese Unexamined PatentPublication No. 2003-259260). The printer includes a mount having aconnection terminal corresponding to a connection terminal of thedigital camera, and the digital camera is placed on the mount. The imageis read from a recording medium inserted in the digital camera, and theprinter prints the image. Furthermore, a system has been proposed forsetting printing mode of a printer according to a state of a digitalcamera through detection of a state of a display unit or the powerthereof (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-244585).

However, a user cannot print an image obtained by a digital camera athome if he/she does not use a personal computer or a printer. Even inthe case where a user uses a personal computer or a printer, the userneeds to set up the printer or a digital camera by himself/herself.Consequently, many users think that printing is troublesome.

For this reason, a service has been provided for image printing at DPEstores by bringing recording media storing images therein to the DPEstores. In addition, a service has been provided for enabling users tocarry out printing without involving a store clerk by using a printingorder reception apparatus such as that described in Japanese UnexaminedPatent Publication No. 2002-501252 installed in DPE stores.

However, even for a print order using the printing order receptionapparatus described above, a user needs to select an image to print andprinting conditions such as a print size and quantity while using ascreen of the apparatus. Therefore, a person who is not familiar withthe printing order reception apparatus thinks that an operation forspecifying the printing conditions is troublesome. Consequently,printing using the printing order reception apparatus is as troublesomeas an operation for printing using a home printer.

The present invention has been conceived based on consideration of theabove circumstances. An object of the present invention is therefore toenable a user to easily place a print order by using a printing orderreception apparatus.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

A printing order reception apparatus of the present invention comprises:

display means for carrying out various kinds of display for a printorder;

input means for carrying out various kinds of input for the print order;

a plurality of types of slots for inserting therein various types ofrecording media each storing an image and equipment including arecording medium storing an image;

changeover means for switching, in the case where a specific one of theslots has a corresponding one of the recording media or the equipmentinserted therein, between execution of printing processing according toa predetermined printing condition regarding the image stored in therecording medium or the recording medium in the equipment and executionof printing processing according to a printing condition different fromthe predetermined printing condition regarding the image stored in therecording medium or the recording medium in the equipment; and

printing control means for executing the printing processing accordingto the printing condition switched by the changeover means regarding theimage stored in the recording medium or the recording medium in theequipment in the case where the specific slot has the recording mediumor the equipment inserted therein.

The equipment including the recording medium refers to equipment havingthe recording medium installed inside where the image is recorded andnot having a slot for insertion of a recording medium.

The specific slot refers to a slot that causes the printing processingaccording to the printing condition changed by the changeover means tobe executed upon insertion of the recording medium or the equipment intothe slot.

The predetermined printing condition refers to a printing condition thatis predetermined and cannot be changed. More specifically, thepredetermined printing condition refers to a printing condition forprinting only one L-size print, for example.

The printing processing refers to printing the image and to causing theimage to be printable. For example, in the case where the printing orderreception apparatus of the present invention comprises a printer, theprinting processing refers to printing the image from the printer. Inthe case where the printing order reception apparatus of the presentinvention does not have a printer but is connected to an externalprinter, the printing processing refers to outputting the image to theexternal printer. Image processing for improving image quality may beincluded in the printing processing.

In the printing order reception apparatus of the present invention, theprinting control means may display a screen on the display means foraccepting whether to execute the printing processing according to thepredetermined printing condition so that the printing control means canexecute the printing processing in the case where an instruction toexecute the printing processing has been input from the input means.

In the printing order reception apparatus of the present invention, theequipment may be a digital camera having a predetermined interface. Inthis case, the specific slot has an interface corresponding to thepredetermined interface.

In the printing order reception apparatus of the present invention, theprinting control means may delete the image from the recording mediumincluded in the digital camera after execution of the printingprocessing according to the predetermined printing condition.

In this case, the printing control means may display a screen on thedisplay means for accepting whether to delete the image so that theprinting control means can delete the image in the case where aninstruction to delete the image has been input from the input means.

In this case, the printing order reception apparatus may furthercomprise storage means for storing the image to be deleted.

In addition, the printing order reception apparatus of the presentinvention may comprise image recording means for recording the image tobe deleted, in an optical recording medium that enables opticalrecording therein.

In this case, the image recording means may display a screen on thedisplay means for accepting whether to record the image in the opticalrecording medium so that the image recording means can record the imagein the optical recording medium in the case where an instruction torecord the image in the optical recording medium has been input from theinput means.

Furthermore, in this case, the printing order reception apparatus maycomprise means for recording an index image having an optically readablemark area for a print order on a surface of the optical recordingmedium. In this case, one of the slots is a slot for the opticalrecording medium and has reading means for reading the mark area of theindex image. The printing control means then executes the printingprocessing according to information of the mark area having been read.

A printing order reception method of the present invention is a printingorder reception method for a printing order reception apparatus having:

display means for carrying out various kinds of display for a printorder;

input means for carrying out various kinds of input for the print order;and

a plurality of types of slots for inserting therein various types ofrecording media each storing an image and equipment including arecording medium storing an image. The printing order reception methodcomprises the steps of:

accepting switching, in the case where a specific one of the slots has acorresponding one of the recording media or the equipment insertedtherein, between execution of printing processing according to apredetermined printing condition regarding the image recorded in therecording medium or the recording medium in the equipment and executionof printing processing according to a printing condition different fromthe predetermined printing condition regarding the image stored in therecording medium or the recording medium in the equipment; and

executing the printing processing on the image stored in the recordingmedium or the recording medium in the equipment according to theprinting condition having been switched in the case where the specificslot has the recording medium or the equipment inserted therein.

The printing order reception method of the present invention may beprovided as a program for causing a computer to execute the method.

According to the present invention, the printing processing is carriedout according to the printing condition switched by the changeover meanson the image stored in the recording medium or the recording mediumincluded in the equipment when the recording medium or the equipment isinserted in the specific slot. Therefore, a user can obtain a printaccording to the predetermined printing condition desired by the useronly if the user carries out the changeover to the predeterminedprinting condition by use of the changeover means and inserts therecoding medium or the equipment in the specific slot. Consequently, theuser can obtain the print according to the predetermined printingcondition without carrying out a troublesome operation.

Furthermore, it the screen for accepting whether to execute the printingprocessing according to the predetermined printing condition isdisplayed on the display means and the printing processing is carriedout in the case where the instruction to execute the printing processinghas been input from the input means, the user can decide whether toexecute the printing processing according to the predetermined printingcondition. Therefore, erroneous execution of the printing processingaccording to the predetermined printing condition can be prevented.

If the equipment is the digital camera having the predeterminedinterface and the specific slot has the interface corresponding to thepredetermined interface, the print according to the predeterminedprinting condition can be obtained from the digital camera immediatelyafter photography.

By deleting the image from the recording medium included in the digitalcamera after execution of the printing processing according to thepredetermined printing condition, photography can be newly carried outwith the digital camera immediately thereafter.

In this case, if the screen for accepting whether to delete the image isdisplayed on the display means and the image is deleted in the casewhere the instruction to delete the image has been input from the inputmeans, the user can decide whether to delete the image. Thereforeerroneous deletion of the image from the recording medium included inthe digital camera can be prevented.

By storing the image to be deleted, a print order can be placed later byusing the image even in the case where the image has erroneously beendeleted from the recording medium in the digital camera.

By recording the image to be deleted in the optical recording medium foroptical recording, a print order can be placed by use of the opticalrecording medium. In addition, the image stored in the optical recordingmedium can be viewed or manipulated on a personal computer.

In this case, if the screen for accepting whether to record the image inthe optical recording medium is displayed on the display means and theimage is recorded in the optical recording medium only in the case wherethe instruction to record the image in the optical recording medium hasbeen input from the input means, the user can decide whether to recordthe image to be deleted in the optical recording medium. In this manner,the user can be prevented from being billed for erroneous recording ofthe image in the optical recording medium especially in the case wherethe optical recording medium is not free of charge.

If the index image having the optically readable mark area for a printorder is recorded on the surface of the optical recording medium and oneof the slots is the slot for the optical recording medium that can readthe mark area of the index image, the user can place a print order onlyif he/she inserts the optical recording medium into the slot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a printing order reception apparatus of an embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a signal processing system of theprinting order reception apparatus in the embodiment;

FIGS. 3A and 3B show a changeover switch;

FIG. 4 shows a printing execution screen;

FIG. 5 shows a printing selection screen;

FIG. 6 is an oblique rear side view of a digital camera including arecording medium (part 1);

FIG. 7 is an oblique rear side view of the digital camera including therecording medium (part 2);

FIG. 8 is a view from the direction shown by an arrow A in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing procedures carried out in the embodiment;

FIG. 10 shows a deletion selection screen;

FIG. 11 shows a CD selection screen;

FIG. 12 shows a surface of a CD whereon images have been recorded in theembodiment;

FIG. 13 shows an index image in detail; and

FIG. 14 shows the printing order reception apparatus having a slot foran index sheet.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention is described withreference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a printing orderreception apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention. As shownin FIG. 1, a printing order reception apparatus 1 in this embodiment hasa touch panel monitor 2 for carrying out various kinds of display for aprint order and for receiving various kinds of input therefor, inaddition to slots 3A to 3F for insertion of various types of recordingmedia and a digital camera including a recording medium thatrespectively store images. The printing order reception apparatus 1 isconnected to a printer 5 for image printing and to a CD drive 6 forimage writing in a CD. The slot 3A comprises a changeover switch 4 forchanging printing conditions as will be described later. In FIG. 1, theprinting order reception apparatus 1 is connected directly to theprinter 5 and the CD drive 6. However, the printer 5 and the CD drive 6may be located in a different place from the printing order receptionapparatus 1 and connected to the apparatus 1 via a network or othermeans.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a signal processing system of theprinting order reception apparatus 1 in this embodiment. The printingorder reception apparatus 1 comprises a CPU 11 for controlling operationof the printing order reception apparatus 1, a system memory 12comprising a ROM that stores a program executed by the CPU 11 and a RAMas a workspace, and a storage unit 13 such as a hard disc for storingthe images read from the recording medium as will be described later.The images stored in the storage unit 13 are deleted from the storageunit 13 after a predetermined time has elapsed.

The printing order reception apparatus 1 also has the monitor 2, a touchpanel 14 for the various kinds of input via the monitor 2, a touch panelcontrol unit 15 for controlling the touch panel 14, interfaces 16A to16F respectively corresponding to the slots 3A to 3F, a connector 17 forconnecting the printer 5 and the CD drive 6, and an output interface 18connected to the connector 17.

The printing order reception apparatus 1 further comprises an imageprocessing unit 19 for carrying out image processing such as gradationprocessing and sharpness processing on images read from the recordingmedia or the like.

The slot 3F is a slot for CDs, and has a reading unit 20 for reading amark area of an index image printed on a surface of a CD as will bedescribed later.

The slot 3A is a slot for the digital camera including the recordingmedium. The changeover switch 4 is located at the opening thereof foraccepting changeover of the printing conditions by a user.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show the changeover switch 4 of the slot 3A in detail.As shown in FIG. 3A, the changeover switch 4 has a rectangular planershape that can cover the slot 3A, and an opening 4A is located at theposition corresponding to the slot 3A. Near the upper edge thereof islocated a pin 4B that penetrates horizontally. Both ends of the pin 4Bare held by bearings 4C allowing the switch 4 to turn freely. By turningthe changeover switch 4 around the pin 4B, a first position thereofshown in FIG. 3A is changed to a second position thereof shown in FIG.3B.

Characters “Ordinary Printing” are written under the opening 4A of thechangeover switch 4. When the changeover switch 4 is at the firstposition, characters “Easy Printing” are hidden at the portion of theprinting order reception apparatus 1 covered by the changeover switch 4.Therefore, when the changeover switch 4 is at the first position shownby FIG. 3A, the user can see the characters “Ordinary Printing” on theswitch 4. When the changeover switch 4 is flipped over to the secondposition shown by FIG. 3B, the user can see the characters “EasyPrinting” that were hidden by the switch 4.

When the user inserts the digital camera into the slot 3A in the statewhere the changeover switch 4 is at the first position, ordinaryprinting processing is carried out on the images stored in the recordingmedium of the digital camera. In the ordinary printing processing, acatalog of the images recorded in the recording medium is displayed onthe monitor 2 and the user specifies which of the images to print. Theuser further specifies a print size and a quantity for the specifiedimage, and the image processing unit 19 carries out the image processingon the specified image. Thereafter, the image is printed according tothe specified size and quantity.

When the user inserts the digital camera in the slot 3A after turningthe changeover switch 4 to the second position, printing processing iscarried out on all the images recorded in the recording medium of thedigital camera according to predetermined printing conditions(hereinafter referred to as easy printing conditions) withoutspecification of the image or images to print, the print size, and thequantity by the user.

In the case of printing processing according to the easy printingconditions, a printing execution screen 48 may be displayed on themonitor 2 including a message reading “Easy Printing is Executed. OK?”as well as YES and NO buttons as shown in FIG. 4 so that the printingprocessing according to the easy printing conditions can be carried outin the case where the YES button has been selected.

The printing processing is processing for outputting the images from theprinter 5 after the image processing unit 19 has carried out the imageprocessing on the images. In the case where the printing order receptionapparatus has the printer, the printing processing is the processing foroutputting the images from the printer 5.

Some digital cameras enable generation of a photo album by arranging allimages obtained through photography, depending on the type thereof.Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, a printing selection screen 49 may bedisplayed for selection between printing conditions for L-size printingfor all the images in the recording medium of the digital camera andprinting conditions for printing a 2 L-size photo album generated by thedigital camera, in the case where the digital camera has been insertedin the slot 3A. The printing processing is carried out according to theselected printing conditions.

In the case where the digital camera is inserted in the slot 3A when thechangeover switch 4 is at the first position and in the case where oneof the recording media has been inserted in a corresponding one of theslots 3B to 3F other than the slot 3A, the ordinary printing processingis carried out.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are oblique rear side views of the digital camera havingthe recording medium, and FIG. 8 is a view from the direction of anarrow A shown in FIG. 6. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a digital camera 30comprises a monitor 31 for various kinds of display such as photographedimages, a power switch 32 for switching on and off the power, a releasebutton 33, and a mode changing switch 34 for changing mode of the camera30 between photography mode and playback mode.

In the case where the mode changing switch 34 is at the position of thephotography mode, a zoom button 35 for zooming, a flash button 36 forswitching on and off a flash, and a Macro button 37 for carrying outmacro photography appear at the rear of the digital camera 30. The userappropriately operates the buttons for photography, and can record theimages obtained through the photography in the recording medium includedin the digital camera 30.

In the case where the mode changing switch 34 is at the position ofplayback mode, a Frame button 38 for feeding an image to be played back,a Delete button 39 for deleting the image being played back, and aReserve Print button 40 for reserving printing of the image being playedback appear at the rear of the digital camera 30. The user can play backthe images recorded in the recording medium included in the digitalcamera 30 by appropriately operating the buttons.

An interface 42 is positioned on the left side of the digital camera 30viewed from the rear thereof, for connection to the interface 16A uponinsertion in the slot 3A.

The CPU 11 functions as printing control means by execution of theprogram stored in the system memory 12.

Procedures carried out in this embodiment are described next. FIG. 9 isa flow chart showing a flow of processing carried out in thisembodiment. When the user sets the recording medium or the digitalcamera 30 in the corresponding one of the slots 3A to 3F, the CPU 11starts the processing. The CPU 11 firstly judges whether the digitalcamera 30 has been inserted in the slot 3A (Step ST1). If a result atStep ST1 is affirmative, the CPU 11 judges whether the changeover switch4 is at the second position (Step ST2). In the case where the result atStep ST1 or ST2 is negative, the ordinary printing processing is carriedout (Step ST3).

If the result at Step ST2 is affirmative, the printing processingaccording to the easy printing conditions is carried out (Step ST4).

After the printing processing has been completed according to the easyprinting conditions, a deletion selection screen is displayed on themonitor 2 for letting the user select whether to delete the imagesstored in the recording medium of the digital camera 30 (Step ST5). FIG.10 shows the deletion selection screen. As shown in FIG. 10, a messagereading “Delete Images?” is displayed in a deletion selection screen 50,together with YES and NO buttons. If the user selects the YES button, aCD selection screen is displayed on the monitor 2 for letting the userselect whether to write the images for deletion in the CD (Step ST6).

FIG. 11 shows the CD selection screen. As shown in FIG. 11, a CDselection screen 51 includes a message reading “Write Images in CD?” inaddition to YES and NO buttons. The CD selection screen 51 may alsoinclude various kinds of information such as information notifying theuser whether recording in the CD is free or for pay, information on acharge if the recording is not free, and information related to therecording. When the user selects the YES button, the images stored inthe recording medium of the digital camera 30 are sent to the CD drive 6and written in the CD (Step ST7). The images in the recording medium arestored in the storage unit 13 (Step ST8), and deleted from the recordingmedium (Step ST9) to end the flow of processing. The printer 5 recordsthe index image comprising a catalog of thumbnail images generated fromthe images recorded in the CD, on the surface of the CD storing theimages.

In the case where the user has selected the NO button in the CDselection screen 51, the flow of processing goes to Step ST8 withoutwriting the images in the CD, and the procedures from Step ST8 arecarried out. In the case where the user has selected the NO button inthe deletion selection screen 50, the flow of processing ends.

FIG. 12 shows the surface of the CD storing the images written in thisembodiment. As shown in FIG. 12, an index image 57 comprising thecatalog of the thumbnail images regarding the images in a CD 55 isrecorded on a surface 56 of the CD 55 storing the images.

FIG. 13 shows the index image 57 in detail. As shown in FIG. 13, theindex image 57 comprises the thumbnail images arranged in order. Undereach of the thumbnail images is added a mark area 58 that enables theuser to input whether the image is necessary for printing. Each of themark areas 58 has 4 marks, and the user can specify the quantity ofprints by filling in the marks with a pencil or the like, up to thenumber corresponding to the quantity.

The arrangement of the thumbnail images is not necessarily limited tothe example shown in FIG. 13, and any arrangement can be used as long asthe surface of the CD can be used efficiently. The number of the marksfor each of the thumbnail images is not necessarily limited to 4, andmay be determined according to necessity.

In the case where the user has written the images in the CD 55, the userfills in the mark or marks of the mark area or areas 58 corresponding tothe image or images he/she wishes to print, up to the desired quantity.By inserting the CD 55 into the CD slot 3F of the printing orderreception apparatus 1, the reading unit 20 reads the mark areas 58 ofthe index image 57. The CPU 11 judges how many prints are necessary forwhich of the images, according to information read from the mark areas58 indicated by a position and the number of the marks having beenfilled in. The CPU 11 then reads the image or images to be printed fromthe CD 55, for outputting the prints from the printer 5.

As has been described above, according to this embodiment, the imagesstored in the recording medium of the digital camera 30 are printedaccording to the easy printing conditions changed by the user by use ofthe changeover switch 4 when the digital camera 30 is inserted in theslot 3A therefor. In this manner, the prints can be obtained accordingto the easy printing conditions only if the user sets the digital camera30 in the slot 3A after turning the changeover switch 4 to the secondposition. Therefore, the user can obtain the prints according to theeasy printing conditions without carrying out a troublesome operation.

By executing the printing processing according to the easy printingconditions in the case where the user has selected the YES button afterdisplay of the printing execution screen 48 on the monitor 2 foraccepting whether to execute the printing processing according to theeasy printing conditions as shown in FIG. 4, the user can decide whetherto execute the printing processing according to the easy printingconditions. Consequently, erroneous execution of the printing processingaccording to the easy printing conditions can be avoided.

Furthermore, by deleting the images from the recording medium includedin the digital camera 30 after execution of the printing processing,photography with the digital camera 30 can be newly carried outimmediately thereafter.

In this case, by deleting the images in the case where the YES buttonhas been selected after display of the deletion selection screen 50 onthe monitor 2 for accepting whether to delete the images as shown inFIG. 10, the user can decide whether to delete the images. Consequently,erroneous deletion of the images from the recording medium of thedigital camera 30 can be prevented.

By storing the images for deletion in the storage unit 13, a print orderusing the images can be placed even after the images have been deletedfrom the recording medium of the digital camera 30 by mistake. In thiscase, a storage period for the images may be determined in considerationof capacity of the storage unit 13 and notified to the user if he/shedoes not record the images in the CD. This notification may be providedto the user by being printed on a sheet or by being displayed in thedeletion selection screen 50.

By recording the images for deletion in the CD 55, a print order usingthe CD 55 can be placed. In addition, the images in the CD 55 can beviewed and manipulated by use of a personal computer.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 11, the CD selection screen 51 may bedisplayed on the monitor 2 for accepting whether to record the images inthe CD 55. In the case where the YES button has been selected, theimages are recorded in the CD 55. In this manner, the user can decidewhether to record the images to be deleted in the CD 55. Especially, inthe case where the CD 55 is not free, the user can be prevented frombeing charged for erroneous recording of the images in the CD 55.

Furthermore, by recording the index image 57 including the opticallyreadable mark areas 58 for a print order on the surface 56 of the CD 55and by reading the mark areas 58 of the index image 57 with the CD slot3F, the user can place a print order of the images in the CD 55 only byinserting the CD 55 in the slot 3F.

In the embodiment described above, the images to be deleted from therecording medium of the digital camera 30 are recorded in the CD.However, the images may be recorded in a DVD.

In the above embodiment, the index image 57 is printed on the surface 56of the CD 55. However, the index image 57 may be printed alone on paperfor generating an index sheet so that a print order can be placed byusing the mark areas on the index sheet. In this case, as shown in FIG.14, the printing order reception apparatus 1 has a slot 3G for the indexsheet for reading the information from the index sheet. Therefore, theslot 3G has the reading unit 20 of the slot 3F in the printing orderreception apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1.

On the surface of the CD 55 may be printed a bar code or a QR codedescribing link information representing a storage location of imagedata representing the index image 57 (hereinafter referred to as indexdata). Upon necessity, the bar code or the QR code is read at the DPEstore for accessing the storage location of the index data. In thismanner, the index data are obtained and printed so that the user canreceive the index sheet. Alternatively, when the CD 55 is inserted inthe printing order reception apparatus 1, the index sheet may be outputfrom the printer 5. In this manner, the index sheet can be preventedfrom being printed unnecessarily by mistake.

In the embodiment described above, the image processing is carried outon the images to be printed. However, the image processing unit 19 maystore parameters for image processing corresponding to the model of thedigital camera. In this case, model information regarding the digitalcamera 30 is obtained when the slot 3A is loaded with the digital camera30 so that the image processing can be carried out according to theimage processing parameters corresponding to the digital camera 30,based on the information on the model of the digital camera 30 havingbeen obtained.

In the embodiment described above, the changeover switch 4 is installedfor changing the printing conditions by flipping the changeover switch 4between the first and second positions. However, a changeover switch ofany manner, such as a push-button switch that can change the printingconditions by being pressed or not, can be adopted as long as theprinting conditions can be changed.

In the embodiment described above, only the slot 3A has the changeoverswitch 4 for changing the printing conditions. However, the slots otherthan the slot 3A may also have changeover switches.

1. A printing order reception apparatus comprising: a new display meansfor carrying out various kinds of display for a print order; input meansfor carrying out various kinds of input for the print order; a pluralityof types of slots for inserting therein various types of recording mediaeach storing an image and equipment including a recording medium storingan image; changeover means for switching, in the case where a specificone of the slots has a corresponding one of the recording media or theequipment inserted therein, between execution of printing processingaccording to a predetermined printing condition regarding the imagestored in the recording medium or the recording medium in the equipmentand execution of printing processing according to a printing conditiondifferent from the predetermined printing condition regarding the imagestored in the recording medium or the recording medium in the equipment;and printing control means for executing the printing processingaccording to the printing condition switched by the changeover meansregarding the image stored in the recording medium or the recordingmedium in the equipment in the case where the specific slot has therecording medium or the equipment inserted therein.
 2. The printingorder reception apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printingcontrol means is means for displaying a screen on the display means inorder to accept whether to execute the printing processing according tothe predetermined printing condition and for executing the printingprocessing in the case where an instruction to execute the printingprocessing has been input from the input means.
 3. The printing orderreception apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the equipment is adigital camera having a predetermined interface and the specific slothas an interface corresponding to the predetermined interface.
 4. Theprinting order reception apparatus according to claim 3, wherein theprinting control means is means for deleting the image from therecording medium included in the digital camera after execution of theprinting processing according to the predetermined printing condition.5. The printing order reception apparatus according to claim 4, whereinthe printing control means is means for displaying a screen on thedisplay means in order to accept whether to delete the image and fordeleting the image in the case where an instruction to delete the imagehas been input from the input means.
 6. The printing order receptionapparatus according to claim 4, further comprising storage means forstoring the image to be deleted.
 7. The printing order receptionapparatus according claim 4 further comprising image recording means forrecording the image to be deleted, in an optical recording medium thatenables optical recording therein.
 8. The printing order receptionapparatus according to claim 7 wherein the image recording means ismeans for displaying a screen on the display means in order to acceptwhether to record the image in the optical recording medium and forrecording the image in the optical recording medium in the case where aninstruction to record the image in the optical recording medium has beeninput from the input means.
 9. The printing order reception apparatusaccording to claim 7, the printing order reception apparatus furthercomprising means for recording an index image having an opticallyreadable mark area for a print order on a surface of the opticalrecording medium, one of the slots being a slot for the opticalrecording medium, the slot for the optical recording medium havingreading means for reading the mark area of the index image, and theprinting control means executing the printing processing according toinformation of the mark area having been read.
 10. A printing orderreception method for a printing order reception apparatus, the printingorder reception apparatus having: display means for carrying out variouskinds of display for a print order; input means for carrying out variouskinds of input for the print order; and a plurality of types of slotsfor inserting therein various types of recording media each storing animage and equipment including a recording medium storing an image, theprinting order reception method comprising the steps of: acceptingswitching, in the case where a specific one of the slots has acorresponding one of the recording media or the equipment insertedtherein, between execution of printing processing according to apredetermined printing condition regarding the image recorded in therecording medium or the recording medium in the equipment and executionof printing processing according to a printing condition different fromthe predetermined printing condition regarding the image stored in therecording medium or the recording medium in the equipment; and executingthe printing processing on the image stored in the recording medium orthe recording medium in the equipment according to the printingcondition having been switched in the case where the specific slot hasthe recording medium or the equipment inserted therein.
 11. Anon-transitory computer-readable recording medium stored therein aprogram for causing a computer to execute a printing order receptionmethod for a printing order reception apparatus, the printing orderreception apparatus having: display means for carrying out various kindsof display for a print order; input means for carrying out various kindsof input for the print order; and a plurality of types of slots forinserting therein various types of recording media each storing an imageand equipment including a recording medium storing an image, the programcomprising the procedures of: accepting switching, in the case where aspecific one of the slots has a corresponding one of the recording mediaor the equipment inserted therein, between execution of printingprocessing according to a predetermined printing condition regarding theimage recorded in the recording medium or the recording medium in theequipment and execution of printing processing according to a printingcondition different from the predetermined printing condition regardingthe image stored in the recording medium or the recording medium in theequipment; and executing the printing processing on the image stored inthe recording medium or the recording medium in the equipment accordingto the printing condition having been switched in the case where thespecific slot has the recording medium or the equipment insertedtherein.